FIG. 12 shows the conventional external material clamping structure for fixing the external material 50 to the foundation 60 of the wall of the building with the external material clamp A. (Refer to Patent Literature 1 hereinafter explained) The external material clamp A comprises a fixed plate 1, a horizontal plate 2, an upper support plate 3, and a lower support plate 4. The horizontal plate 2 extends to a front direction from a center of the fixed plate 1. The upper support plate extends to an upper direction from a front end of the horizontal plate 2. The lower support plate 4 extends to the lower direction from the front end of the horizontal plate 2. The external material clamp A is fixed to the foundation 60 of the wall of the building with the fixation member 61 such as the nail and the screw under the condition where the fixation member 61 passes through the fixation hole 10 of the fixed plate 1. The external material 50 is inserted at its lower engagement portion 53 into the space between the upper support plate 3 and the fixed plate 1 of the external material clamp A, whereby the engagement between the lower engagement portion 53 of the external material 50 and the space is established. In addition, the external material 50 is inserted at its upper engagement portion 54 into the space between the lower support plate 4 and the fixed plate 1 of another external material clamp A, whereby the engagement between the upper engagement portion 54 of the external material and the space is established. According to repeating the above work to fix a plurality of the external materials in the vertical direction, the exterior wall of the building is formed. In addition, the upstanding member 11 is formed to project to a front direction from both lateral portion of the fixed plate 1. Consequently, the external material 50 is fixed to the foundation of the wall 60 to leave a ventilation space 62.
In the above external material clamping structure, the external material in an upper side is disposed such that the load of the external material in an upper side is applied to the upper surface of the external material in a lower side. That is, the lower end of the external material 50 is provided with a cover 51 which extends to the lower direction to cover the lower support plate 4 of the external material clamp A. The lower surface of the cover 51 is in a contact with the contact surface of an upper end of the external material in the lower side. The load of the external material of the upper side is applied to the contact portion of the external material 50 of the lower side.
However, in the external material clamping structure, there is a possibility of applying large load to the external material 50 of the lower side. Especially, when attaching a plurality of the external material 50 in the vertical direction, the external material 50 in a lower side of the wall receives the load of a plurality of the external materials 50. That is, the large load is applied to the external material 50 in the lower side of the wall. Applying the large load to the exterior wall 50 causes the problem such as the breakage and the deformation of the external material 50.